William P. Schilling

Selective Association of TRPC Channel Subunits in Rat Brain Synaptosomes

TRPC genes encode a ubiquitous family of ion channel proteins responsible for Ca2+ influx following stimulation of G-protein-coupled membrane receptors linked to phospholipase C. These channels may be localized to large multimeric signaling complexes via association with PDZ-containing scaffolding proteins. Based on sequence homology, the TRPC channel family can be divided into two major subgroups: TRPC1, -C4, and -C5 and TRPC3, -C6, and -C7. Although TRPC channels are thought to be tetramers, the actual subunit composition remains unknown. To determine subunit arrangement, individual TRPC channel pairs were heterologously expressed in Sf9 insect cells and immunoprecipitated using affinity-purified rabbit polyclonal antibodies specific for each channel subtype. Reciprocal co-immunoprecipitations showed that TRPC1, -C4, and -C5 co-associate and that TRPC3, -C6, and -C7 co-associate but that cross-association between the two major subgroups does not occur. Additionally, the interaction between each TRPC channel and the PDZ-containing protein, INAD (protein responsible for theinactivation-no-after-potentialDrosophila mutant), was examined. TRPC1, -C4, and -C5 co-immunoprecipitated with INAD, whereas TRPC3, -C6, and -C7 did not. To define channel subunit interactions in vivo, immunoprecipitations were performed from isolated rat brain synaptosomal preparations. The results revealed that TRPC1, -C4, and -C5 co-associate and that TRPC3, -C6, and -C7 co-associate in both cortex and cerebellum but that cross-association between the two major subgroups does not occur. These results demonstrate that TRPC channels are present in nerve terminals and provide the first direct evidence for selective assembly of channel subunits in vivo.

Bradykinin-induced increases in cytosolic calcium and ionic currents in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells.

The goal of the present study was to determine if voltage-sensitive calcium channels are present in bovine aortic endothelial cell plasmalemma and if they contribute to the rise in cytosolic calcium produced by bradykinin. After bradykinin (100 nM) exposure, endothelial cell associated fura-2 fluorescence peaked within 10-20 seconds and then declined to a steady level 2- to 3-fold above resting values. Pretreatment with lanthanum (20 μM) abolished the steady level produced by bradykinin but had little effect on the initial, transient rise in cytosolic calcium. Chelation of extracellular calcium with EGTA before addition of bradykinin resulted in a substantial decrease in the fura-2 transient and elimination of the long-lasting component. Nimodipine (3 μM) and nitrendipine (1 μM) were without effect on either phase of the bradykinin-induced response. Moreover, elevation of extracellular potassium failed to produce a rise in intracellular calcium. With the use of the tight seal technique to voltage clamp the cells, inwardly rectifying and calcium-activated potassium currents were found to exist in the endothelial cells. Addition of bradykinin (100 nM) elicited a calcium-activated potassium current that was eliminated in the absence of intracellular potassium. No voltage-sensitive calcium currents were activated when the cells were exposed to 10 mM or 110 mM calcium chloride in the presence or absence of bradykinin. The binding of [3H]( + )PN200-110 to endothelial cell membrane preparations was 1-3 orders of magnitude lower than that observed in PC-12, GH3, or BC3H1 cell membranes. Together, these results suggest that cloned bovine aortic endothelial cells lack voltage-sensitive calcium channels. Therefore, the changes in cytosolic calcium stimulated by bradykinin that are dependent on extracellular calcium must occur via some other calcium influx pathway. (Circulation Research 1987;61:632-640)

P2X7 Receptor-Dependent Blebbing and the Activation of Rho-Effector Kinases, Caspases, and IL-1β Release

In response to ATP binding, the P2X7R facilitates cation channel activation, nonspecific pore formation, rapid changes in plasma membrane morphology, and secretion of IL-1β from LPS-primed macrophages. To investigate the relationship between the P2X7R-dependent changes in plasma membrane organization and the release of IL-1β, we generated time-lapse movies of ATP-stimulated BAC1 murine macrophages in conjunction with biochemical analyses of IL-1β release. Similar image analyses in human embryonic kidney 293 cells expressing recombinant P2X7R (HEK-P2X7) permitted comparison of P2X7R-dependent effects in macrophage vs nonmacrophage backgrounds. Whereas HEK-P2X7 cells exhibit zeiotic blebbing within 5 min of ATP treatment, BAC1 macrophages initiated a distinct “tethered” blebbing 10 min after ATP addition. This blebbing was comparably induced by the P2X7R-selective agonist BzATP and was blocked by P2X7R inhibitors KN-62 and oxidized ATP. Blebbing was initiated at ATP concentrations ≥3 mM, but optimal IL-1β release occurred at 1 mM ATP. P2X7R-dependent blebbing was abrogated in the presence of Rho-effector kinase inhibitors Fasudil and Y-27632, but ATP-induced IL-1β release was unaffected. ATP-induced activation of RhoA could be detected in both HEK-P2X7 cells and BAC1 murine macrophages. Thus, P2X7R activation signals distinct, novel membrane blebbing events (dependent on RhoA activation and Rho-effector kinase activity) and simultaneously initiates release of IL-1β. Our observations that blebbing and IL-1β release are dissociable suggest these events occur via parallel rather than convergent signaling pathways.

Regulation of Drosophila transient receptor potential‐like (TrpL) channels by phospholipase C‐dependent mechanisms

1 Patch clamp and fura‐2 fluorescence were employed to characterize receptor‐mediated activation of recombinant Drosophila TrpL channels expressed in Sf9 insect cells. TrpL was activated by receptor stimulation and by exogenous application of diacylglycerol (DAG) or poly‐unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Activation of TrpL was blocked more than 70% by U73122, suggesting that the effect of these agents was dependent upon phospholipase C (PLC). 2 In fura‐2 assays, extracellular application of bacterial phosphatidylinositol (PI)‐PLC or phosphatidylcholine (PC)‐PLC caused a transient increase in TrpL channel activity, the magnitude of which was significantly less than that observed following receptor stimulation. TrpL channels were also activated in excised inside‐out patches by cytoplasmic application of mammalian PLC‐β2, bacterial PI‐PLC and PC‐PLC, but not by phospholipase D (PLD). The phospholipases had little or no effect when examined in either whole‐cell or cell‐attached configurations. 3 TrpL activity was inhibited by addition of phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐bisphosphate (PIP2) to excised inside‐out membrane patches exhibiting spontaneous channel activity or to patches pre‐activated by treatment with PLC. The effect was reversible, specific for PIP2, and was not observed with phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), PI, PC or phosphatidylserine (PS). However, antibodies against PIP2 consistently failed to activate TrpL in inside‐out patches. 4 It is concluded that both the hydrolysis of PIP2 and the generation of DAG are required to rapidly activate TrpL following receptor stimulation, or that some other PLC‐dependent mechanism plays a crucial role in the activation process.

Maitotoxin and P2Z/P2X7purinergic receptor stimulation activate a common cytolytic pore

The effects of maitotoxin (MTX) on plasmalemma permeability are similar to those caused by stimulation of P2Z/P2X(7) ionotropic receptors, suggesting that 1) MTX directly activates P2Z/P2X(7) receptors or 2) MTX and P2Z/P2X(7) receptor stimulation activate a common cytolytic pore. To distinguish between these two possibilities, the effect of MTX was examined in 1) THP-1 monocytic cells before and after treatment with lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma, a maneuver known to upregulate P2Z/P2X(7) receptor, 2) wild-type HEK cells and HEK cells stably expressing the P2Z/P2X(7) receptor, and 3) BW5147.3 lymphoma cells, a cell line that expresses functional P2Z/P2X(7) channels that are poorly linked to pore formation. In control THP-1 monocytes, addition of MTX produced a biphasic increase in the cytosolic free Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)); the initial increase reflects MTX-induced Ca(2+) influx, whereas the second phase correlates in time with the appearance of large pores and the uptake of ethidium. MTX produced comparable increases in [Ca(2+)](i) and ethidium uptake in THP-1 monocytes overexpressing the P2Z/P2X(7) receptor. In both wild-type HEK and HEK cells stably expressing the P2Z/P2X(7) receptor, MTX-induced increases in [Ca(2+)](i) and ethidium uptake were virtually identical. The response of BW5147.3 cells to concentrations of MTX that produced large increases in [Ca(2+)](i) had no effect on ethidium uptake. In both THP-1 and HEK cells, MTX- and Bz-ATP-induced pores activate with similar kinetics and exhibit similar size exclusion. Last, MTX-induced pore formation, but not channel activation, is greatly attenuated by reducing the temperature to 22 degrees C, a characteristic shared by the P2Z/P2X(7)-induced pore. Together, the results demonstrate that, although MTX activates channels that are distinct from those activated by P2Z/P2X(7) receptor stimulation, the cytolytic/oncotic pores activated by MTX- and Bz-ATP are indistinguishable.The effects of maitotoxin (MTX) on plasmalemma permeability are similar to those caused by stimulation of P2Z/P2X7ionotropic receptors, suggesting that 1) MTX directly activates P2Z/P2X7 receptors or 2) MTX and P2Z/P2X7 receptor stimulation activate a common cytolytic pore. To distinguish between these two possibilities, the effect of MTX was examined in 1) THP-1 monocytic cells before and after treatment with lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ, a maneuver known to upregulate P2Z/P2X7receptor, 2) wild-type HEK cells and HEK cells stably expressing the P2Z/P2X7 receptor, and 3) BW5147.3 lymphoma cells, a cell line that expresses functional P2Z/P2X7 channels that are poorly linked to pore formation. In control THP-1 monocytes, addition of MTX produced a biphasic increase in the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i); the initial increase reflects MTX-induced Ca2+ influx, whereas the second phase correlates in time with the appearance of large pores and the uptake of ethidium. MTX produced comparable increases in [Ca2+]iand ethidium uptake in THP-1 monocytes overexpressing the P2Z/P2X7 receptor. In both wild-type HEK and HEK cells stably expressing the P2Z/P2X7 receptor, MTX-induced increases in [Ca2+]iand ethidium uptake were virtually identical. The response of BW5147.3 cells to concentrations of MTX that produced large increases in [Ca2+]ihad no effect on ethidium uptake. In both THP-1 and HEK cells, MTX- and Bz-ATP-induced pores activate with similar kinetics and exhibit similar size exclusion. Last, MTX-induced pore formation, but not channel activation, is greatly attenuated by reducing the temperature to 22°C, a characteristic shared by the P2Z/P2X7-induced pore. Together, the results demonstrate that, although MTX activates channels that are distinct from those activated by P2Z/P2X7 receptor stimulation, the cytolytic/oncotic pores activated by MTX- and Bz-ATP are indistinguishable.

Human TRPC6 expressed in HEK 293 cells forms non-selective cation channels with limited Ca2+ permeability

TRPC6 is thought to be a Ca2+‐permeable cation channel activated following stimulation of G‐protein‐coupled membrane receptors linked to phospholipase C (PLC). TRPC6 current is also activated by exogenous application of 1‐oleoyl‐acetyl‐sn‐glycerol (OAG) or by inhibiting 1,2‐diacylglycerol (DAG) lipase activity using RHC80267. In the present study, both OAG and RHC80267 increased whole‐cell TRPC6 current in cells from a human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK 293) stably expressing TRPC6, but neither compound increased cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) when the cells were bathed in high‐K+ buffer to hold the membrane potential near 0 mV. These results suggested that TRPC6 channels have limited Ca2+ permeability relative to monovalent cation permeability and/or that Ca2+ influx via TRPC6 is greatly attenuated by depolarization. To evaluate Ca2+ permeability, TRPC6 currents were examined in extracellular buffer in which Ca2+ was varied from 0.02 to 20 mm. The results were consistent with a pore‐permeation model in which Ca2+ acts primarily as a blocking ion and contributes only a small percentage (∼4%) to whole‐cell currents in the presence of extracellular Na+. Measurement of single‐cell fura‐2 fluorescence during perforated‐patch recording of TRPC6 currents showed that OAG increased [Ca2+]i 50–100 nm when the membrane potential was clamped at between −50 and −80 mV, but had little or no effect if the membrane potential was left uncontrolled. These results suggest that in cells exhibiting a high input resistance, the primary effect of activating TRPC6 will be membrane depolarization. However, in cells able to maintain a hyperpolarized potential (e.g. cells with a large inwardly rectifying or Ca2+‐activated K+ current), activation of TRPC6 will lead to a sustained increase in [Ca2+]i. Thus, the contribution of TRPC6 current to both the kinetics and magnitude of the Ca2+ response will be cell specific and dependent upon the complement of other channel types.

Activation of Human TRPC6 Channels by Receptor Stimulation

The human TRPC6 channel was expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells, and activity was monitored using the giga-seal technique. Whole cell membrane currents with distinctive inward and outward rectification were activated by carbachol (CCh) in TRPC6-expressing cells, but not in lacZ-transfected controls. The effect of CCh was steeply dose-dependent with a K0.5 of ∼10 μm and a Hill coefficient of 3–4. A steep concentration-response relationship was also observed when TRPC6 activity was measured using a fluorescence-based imaging plate reader (FLIPR) assay for membrane depolarization. Ionomycin, thapsigargin, and dialysis of the cell with inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate via the patch pipette had no effect on TRPC6 currents, but exogenous application of 1-oleoyl acetyl-sn-glycerol (OAG, 30–300 μm) produced a slow increase in channel activity. The PKC activator, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA, 0.5 μm) had no significant acute effect on TRPC6, or on the subsequent response to OAG. In contrast, the response to CCh was blocked >90% by PMA pretreatment. To further explore the role of DAG in receptor stimulation, TRPC6 currents were monitored following the sequential addition of CCh and OAG. Surprisingly, concentrations of CCh that produced little or no response in the absence of OAG, produced increases in TRPC6 currents in the presence of OAG that were larger than the sum of either agent alone. Likewise, the response to OAG was superadditive following prior stimulation of the cells with near threshold concentrations of CCh. Overall, these results suggest that generation of DAG alone may not fully account for activation of TRPC6, and that other receptor-mediated events act synergistically with DAG to stimulate channel activity. This synergy may explain, at least in part, the steep dose-response relationship observed for CCh-induced TRPC6 currents expressed in HEK cells.

Proteomic analysis of TRPC5- and TRPC6-binding partners reveals interaction with the plasmalemmal Na+/K+-ATPase

Mammalian transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) genes encode a family of nonselective cation channels that are activated following stimulation of G-protein-coupled membrane receptors linked to phospholipase C. In Drosophila photoreceptor cells, TRP channels are found in large, multimolecular signaling complexes in association with the PDZ-containing scaffolding protein, INAD. A similar mammalian TRPC “signalplex” has been proposed, but has yet to be defined. In the present study, affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies against TRPC5 and TRPC6 were used to immunoprecipitate signalplex components from rat brain lysates. Immunoprecipitated proteins were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, digested with trypsin, and sequenced by mass spectrometry. Proteins identified in the immunoprecipitates included cytoskeletal proteins spectrin, myosin, actin, drebrin, tubulin, and neurabin; endocytic vesicle-associated proteins clathrin, dynamin and AP-2; and the plasmalemmal Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) pump. Several of these interactions were confirmed by reciprocal immunoprecipitation followed by Western blot analysis. In lysates from rat kidney, TRPC6, but not TRPC3, was found to coimmunoprecipitate with the NKA pump. Likewise, TRPC6, stably expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells, coimmunoprecipitated with endogenous NKA and colocalized with the pump to the plasmalemma when examined by immunofluorescence microscopy. Cell surface biotinylation experiments in intact HEK cells, confirmed that both the Na+ pump and TRPC6 were present in the surface membrane and appeared to interact. Lastly, TRPC6 coimmunoprecipitated with the NKA pump when the proteins were coexpressed in Spodoptera frugiperda insect cells using recombinant baculoviruses. These observations suggest that TRPC6 and the Na+ pump are part of a functional complex that may be involved in ion transport and homeostasis in both the brain and kidney.

Bradykinin-induced potassium current in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells

SummaryBovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) respond to bradykinin with an increase in cytosolic-free Ca2+ concentration, [Ca2+]i, accompanied by an increase in surface membrane K+ permeability. In this study, electrophysiological measurement of K+ current was combined with86Rb+ efflux measurements to characterize the K+ flux pathway in BAECs. Bradykinin- and Ca2+-activated K+ currents were identified and shown to be blocked by the alkylammonium compound, tetrabutylammonium chloride and by the scorpion toxin,noxiustoxin, but not by apamin or tetraethylammonium chloride. Whole-cell and single-channel current analysis suggest that the threshold for Ca2+ activation is in the range of 10 to 100nm [Ca2+]i. The whole-cell current measurement show voltage sensitivity only at the membrane potentials more positive than 0 mV where significant current decay occurs during a sustained depolarizing pulse. Another K+ current present in control conditions, an inwardly rectifying K+ current, was blocked by Ba2+ and was not affected bynoxiustoxin or tetrabutylammonium chloride. Efflux of86Rb− from BAEC monolayers was stimulated by both bradykinin and ionomycin. Stimulated efflux was blocked by tetrabutyl- and tetrapentyl-ammonium chloride and bynoxiustoxin, but not by apamin or furosemide. Thus,86Rb+ efflux stimulated by bradykinin and ionomycin has the same pharmacological sensitivity as the bradykinin- and Ca2+-activated membrane currents. The results confirm that bradykinin-stimulated86Rb+ efflux occurs via Ca2+-activated K+ channels. The blocking agents identified may provide a means for interpreting the role of the Ca2+-activated K+ current in the response of BAECs to bradykinin.

The COOH-terminal Domain of Drosophila TRP Channels Confers Thapsigargin Sensitivity

Previous studies have shown that the Drosophila cation channels designated Trp and Trpl can be functionally expressed in Sf9 insect cells using baculovirus expression vectors. The trp gene encodes a Ca-permeable channel that is activated by thapsigargin, blocked by low micromolar Gd, and is relatively selective for Caversus Na and Ba. In contrast, trpl encodes a Ca-permeable cation channel that is constitutively active, not affected by thapsigargin, blocked by high micromolar Gd, and non-selective with respect to Ca, Na, and Ba. The region of lowest sequence identity between Trp and Trpl occurs in the COOH-terminal domain. To test the hypothesis that this region is responsible for the differential sensitivity of these channels to thapsigargin, chimeric constructs of Trp and Trpl were created in which the COOH-terminal tail region of each protein was exchanged. The Trp construct with the Trpl COOH-tail was constitutively active, insensitive to thapsigargin, but retained selectivity for Ca over Na and Ba. In contrast, the Trpl construct with the Trp COOH-tail was not constitutively active, could be activated by thapsigargin, but remained non-selective with respect to Ca, Ba, and Na. These results suggest that the COOH-terminal domain of Trpl plays an important role in determining constitutive activity, whereas the COOH-terminal region of Trp contains the structural features necessary for activation by thapsigargin.